The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Amateur Army, by Patrick MacGill

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Title: The Amateur Army

Author: Patrick MacGill

Release Date: June 16, 2005 [EBook #16078]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE AMATEUR ARMY ***

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THE AMATEUR ARMY

BY PATRICK MACGILL

BY THE SAME AUTHOR

CHILDREN OF THE DEAD END

THE RAT-PIT

[Illustration: RIFLEMAN PATRICK MACGILL]

HERBERT JENKINS LIMITED ARUNDEL PLACE HAYMARKET LONDON S.W. MCMXV

_Wyman & Sons Ltd., Printers, London and Reading._

PREFACE

I am one of the million or more male residents of the United Kingdom,
who a year ago had no special yearning towards military life, but who
joined the army after war was declared. At Chelsea I found myself a
unit of the 2nd London Irish Battalion, afterwards I was drilled into
shape at the White City and training was concluded at St. Albans,
where I was drafted into the 1st Battalion. In my spare time I wrote
several articles dealing with the life of the soldier from the stage
of raw "rooky" to that of finished fighter. These I now publish in
book form, and trust that they may interest men who have joined the
colours or who intend to take up the profession of arms and become
members of the great brotherhood of fighters.

PATRICK MACGILL.

"The London Irish,"
British Expeditionary Force,
_March 25th_, 1915.

CONTENTS

PAGE
CHAPTER I

I ENLIST AND AM BILLETED 13

CHAPTER II

RATIONS AND SICK PARADE 23

CHAPTER III

PICKETS AND SPECIAL LEAVE 36

CHAPTER IV

OFFICERS AND RIFLES 48

CHAPTER V

THE COFFEE-SHOP AND WANKIN 60

CHAPTER VI

THE NIGHT SIDE OF SOLDIERING